PERSONAL NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2249, 8 April 1897, Page 53

PERSONAL NOTES.

• . • It is aaid that Sir Edwin Arnold has contributed nearly 10,000 leading articles to the London Daily Telegraph. •.• Oxford Urivevsity has confened the degree cf Doctor of Mu=ic en Bijah Sir Sourindro Mohun Tagore, of Calcutta, in recognition of hia talents as a musician and of his efforts to promote the cultivation of music in India. . • Few people meetiDg Lord Salisbury in private life would imagine that he was I Prime Minister of Great Britain. His conversation is gener<illy all about jcitnee and outdoor matter?, such as gardening ; politics he carefully eschews. . • Samuel Smiles, the author of " Selfhelp" and other books for boys and young men, is now over 80 years old. He is living quietly at his suburban home near Londoo, writing a little now and then and looking after his literary interests. . • To an Italian journalist who interviewed him, Jules Verne appeared like " a retired general, or a professor of mathematics, or a Secretary of State. "He does not show his nearly 80 years. His manners are simple and kindly, and he is ratber slow. Verne id still busy writing two romances a year, though he publishes only one. • . • Dr Bright, the master of University College, Oxford, whose works on foreign statesmen are known as solid contributions to historical literature, is one of the most constant and popular lecturers in the University, though he is affi cted with an impediment in his speech. His daughters are extremely well versed in history and literature. . The election of the Marquis of Hantly as Lord Rector of Aberdeen University for the third time is an unprecedented event. He is nearly 50 years eld, is the premier marquis of Scotland, and, as chief of the great Clan GordoD, is known aB the " Cock of the Nortb," a *obriquat won by " deeds of derring-do," and held by his powerful house for hundreds of years. . Osman Pasha, the hero of Plevna, during all tbe turmoil and disorder in the

I Turkish Empire, now holds the essentially Oriental position of " sealer " in the kitchen !of the Sultan. His duty is to seal all the 1 dishes intended for his master's table immediately after they are prepared. When they are carried into the royal dining room the j seals are broken in Abdul Hamid's presence, j • . • A special gold medal is to be presented j lo Dr Nansen by the Royal Geographical Society in London in commemoration of his biilliant journey in the Arctic regions. He is already agolri medallist of the society, and the special gold medal which be is now to receive will be similar in character to that given by the society to Mr Stanley on his return from his memorable Emm Pasha expedition. . • M. Camille Flammarion is the Sir Robert Ball of France. Of his book on I " Popular Astronomy " more than 100.000 I copies have been sold, and frcm this and i similar works he has drawn a considerable fortune. M. Flammarion spends about threeparts of the year at the Paris Observatory, and the rest of his time at a delightful chateau near Fontainebleau, which was given j to him by an admiring reader of his books, j where he possesses the finest existing astronomical library. • . • Mr Anthony Hope Hawkins, the author ] cf " The Prisoner ot Zenda," had rather a pleasirg compliment paid to him before hia book was as popular as it is now. A messenger called at his chambers with a copy of the book and a letter asking if the author would placa his signature on the liy leaf. , The writer of the letter wished to present the 1 book to his brother, a great admirer of I " Anthony Hope's " work, who "vas about to j emigrate to South Africa. Mr Hawkins sent back " The Prisoner of Zonda " with his signature and a suitable inscription attached to it. • . • Few people have any idea how much interest the Princa of Wales takes in the ' peasantry and tenantry on hia Sandringham ! f.'elate," ft'-tid an official of a well-known t London philanthropic society some timft i back. "He locks after his people quilo as much as aey little country squire. The Prince is a subscriber to our society, which provides artificial limbs and surgical appliances to those who want them and are nob in a position to buy them for themselves ; and if any accident occurs on his estate his Royal Highness always sees that the soffarers receive assistance from v?." I • . •Dr Temple, ..he Archbishop of Canterj bury, objects Etrongly to waste of time. I ; Those persona who have experienced most of ! j his bluntness of manner may be safely de- j | fined as people who have tried to hinder him ! in his work. A f . 76 years of age lie preserves j | his enthusiasm for labour, and in spite of the [ i weakness of his slight csn do a remarkable ' ! amount of it in a day. Being of opinion that j J life is too short for a marj to be able to ' : devote time to side interests, ha fastens all ' his wonderful intellectual powers upon his ! own busine.-s, arid resolutely declines to sturdy ; outside subjects. As a boy young Temple j j was nob popular. Ha seemed uuwiiling to I \ make friends. A contemporary once remaiked of him in those days : " Ha sticks to tho truth like a ferret, and he'd stick to a chum in just , I the same way — only he never seems to wani , to chum with any fellow." i • * . • Lord Armstrong is most widely known •' 1 by the gan to which he has given his nam?. ! Bat it is not as a great expert in the science of war-making that his life and career have • their best and deepest interest. Writss Mr Frederick Dolman in the Oeborne :—": — " I fancy , that Lord Armstrong himself considers that j I he has promoted peace by helping to shortp?i and sharpen the horrors of war; one cf bis vepiies to Li Hung Charg, when th« els*- ' ticguished Chinaman recently visited him at J Craigside, waa to this r-ffect. Be lUat as it i may, the view which regards Lord Armstrong as merely the inventor of more efficient implements of carnage does an injustice to one of the mosh remarkable men ot our time — a man whose name the people of Tyneside will ; i proudly add to the roll of dis'ipguiaho.l j | Novocastrians — Sfephenson, Collingwoocl, ■ i Eldon, Akonside, and Bewick. Lord Arm- 1 strong is a great scientist — in fact, the i 1 grand old man ' ot tciecce — and when the time comes for sumraicg up his work it will } doubtlessbe found that the making of guns wai not its most important feature, although the i one which has moßb engaged popular notice. O.ily 9 yoar younger than 'Ire statesman, Lord Armstrong would aeem ta have the ! physique of Mr GUdstone. His lordship is j Btili seen occasionally at the Elswick works, j and on his beautiful estate at Kothbury, Northumberland, he enjoys every day a wttlk ■ or a dnve. Standing by his tall, s'urdy > figure, it is strangely inrc-refeting to learn lb.sa as a boy he was so delicate that for long periods at a time he had to be conlined to i the house. His father, a prosperous corn j merchant, and highly respected citizen of Newcastle, was always gratified to find that I the boy pati€ntly bore his imprisonment, j passing the long winter days with nnraerons toys. Whenever he visited his son's room be generally found him engaged in conrriving to turn these toys to some mechanical purpose. "East or West, Hame'a Best." This is the motto carved in stone on the Eliz*i bethan fireplace in the dining room al Craig- '< siae, continues Mr Dolman. A visit to Lord Armstrong's beautiful home convinces you '< that he realises its spirit to the full. Unlike ; po many men of business and action, Lord ! Armstrong, in the evening of his days, can j contentedly enjoy the quiet pleasures of , home ; his choice collection of book", hi 3 gallery of lovely pictures, his storehouses of \ sweetly-amellirjg flowers and richly-coloured ' plants, are not the mere display of so much wealth ; they truly indicate corresponding tastes on the part of their owner. " la hie devotion to science, in his deification of i hard work, Lord Armstrong has retained a j genuine affection for the graces and refine- . ments cf life. ; ■' ' j

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